Dr. Vishnu for Padma award

Kannada film industry's veteran actor Dr. Vishnuvardhan is one of the twenty odd celebrities recommended by the state government for the Padma awards, it has been reliably learnt.

Though Dr. Vishnu had deserved the award much earlier and his name has been recommended even earlier, the Central Government had not considered him for the award. But now the Kumara Swamy government has strongly recommended his name, sources close to the Chief Minister's secretariat said.

Ms. Vidyadhare, social worker who is working for the HIV positive patients has also been recommended for the award.

Dr. Vishnuvardhan who was keeping silent in the present crisis and was only involved in conciliatory moves has now expressed his opinion about the recent film industry crisis which has forced stoppage of new film production activities.

He was answering specific questions of the media persons during the audio release function of his film Ekadhantha which was held in Atria Hotel.

"Remuneration of artists is some thing a bilateral issue which should be discussed by the producer and the star. There is no point in bringing this issue to public and then crib that artists are paid more than what is due to them. Every artists feels he is worth for the amount and if at all the producer does not agree with his perception, he is free to make his own choice. Even artists have their own complaints to make. There are many artists including me who have not received the payments that are due to us. Have we made any issue of that. Many a times we don't feel like taking the pending amounts from the producers after going through a real hell during the making of the film. Any discontent between the producer and an artist should be settled internally and there is no point in discussing these matters in press' said Dr. Vishnuvardhan.

The veteran actor had however some sympathy for Actor Sudeep whose new film was not allowed permission to start shooting. "If some people deliberately wanted him to suffer what can he do. I am only telling that justice should have done to him even before so that he could not have faced some anxious moments' said Dr. Vishnuvardhan speaking about the delay by the Kannada film producers association in giving permission to shoot 73, Shanthi Nivasa.